The Role of Milk on Children’s Weight Status: An Epidemiological Study among Preadolescents in Greece
Aikaterini Kanellopoulou,
Rena I. Kosti,
Venetia Notara,
George Antonogeorgos,
Andrea Paola Rojas-Gil,
Ekaterina N. Kornilaki,
Areti Lagiou,
Mary Yannakoulia,
Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos
Affiliations
Aikaterini Kanellopoulou
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece
Rena I. Kosti
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Physical Education, Sports and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, 42132 Trikala, Greece
Venetia Notara
Department of Public and Community Health, Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece
George Antonogeorgos
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece
Andrea Paola Rojas-Gil
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Peloponnese, 22100 Tripoli, Greece
Ekaterina N. Kornilaki
Department of Preschool Education, School of Education, University of Crete, 74100 Rethimno, Greece
Areti Lagiou
Department of Public and Community Health, Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece
Mary Yannakoulia
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece
Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece
Milk consumption contributes greatly to children’s diet, playing a pivotal role in the development and structure of bones and the functioning of the musculoskeletal system and the heart. This study investigated the association between the type of milk and childhood overweight/obesity. In the school period 2014–2016, 1728 students aged 10–12 years and their parents participated. The measurement and classification of their weight status were performed through the criteria of the International Obesity Task Force. Among others, the type of milk consumption was recorded. Four categories of the type of milk children consumed were classified (white milk, chocolate milk, both types of milk, and no milk at all). Children consuming only white milk were 33.1% less likely to be overweight/obese in comparison with children who were not consuming milk at all [OR (95% CI): 0.669 (0.516, 0.867), p = 0.002]. The consumption of chocolate milk showed a protective role against childhood overweight/obesity although its association was not consistently significant. This study highlights the significant contribution of milk (and particularly of white milk) consumption to weight management, and thus its promotion should be consistently encouraged. More studies are needed to shed light on the effects of different dairy foods on weight status in childhood.
